Treveon Graham would bring depth, potential to Cavaliers roster

The Cleveland Cavaliers recently attended former Charlotte Hornets guard-forward Treveon Graham’s private workout. If signed, Graham would be an interesting project for the Wine and Golders.

With the team strapped for cash, the Cleveland Cavaliers are leaving no stone unturned during free agency. They will not be making major free agent splashes, but instead will look at projects with upside as they are now in the “player development business”. In light of this, the team attended a workout of former Hornets guard-forward Treveon Graham per longtime sportswriter and TNT analyst David Aldridge:

Graham, a 6-foot-5, 25-year-old forward is currently an unrestricted free agent after the Hornets elected to not extend a qualifying offer at the end of the season. He averaged 4.3 points on 43.4 percent shooting from the field (along with 1.9 rebounds) last year with the Hornets in 16.7 minutes per game.

More from King James Gospel

• 3 possible starting lineups for Cleveland Cavaliers in 2023-24
• The Cavaliers may have snagged a hidden gem in Craig Porter Jr.
• 4 players the Cavaliers should pursue in 2024 free agency
• 6 players Cavaliers might replace Jarrett Allen with by the trade deadline
• This stat is one to keep an eye on for Cavaliers’ Max Strus in years ahead

Before his time with Charlotte, Graham also played for the NBA G-League’s Idaho Stampede and played collegiately at Virginia Commonwealth (VCU) under head coach Shaka Smart.

With the Cavaliers showing interest in Graham and being able to afford him, he might be on the roster this fall. He fits into the team’s plans of prioritizing player development, too. He showed flashes of potential with the Hornets, and continue to do so on a rebuilding Cavaliers team.

The place where Graham’s potential shined brightest was on defense. Graham showcased an ability to defend one through four with the Hornets last year and that kind of defensive versatility is always a welcome sign.

Graham also showcased a high defensive IQ, averaging nearly one steal a game last year. The former Hornet can sting opposing offenses and has all the intangibles of a modern NBA defender.

While not as polished as his defense, Graham is also steady on offense as well. He showcased an ability to break down defenses and attack the basket. When that broke down, Graham also showcased an ability to stroke it from beyond the arc, with a career average of 43.8% from three. One of Graham’s most complete offensive games came against the Milwaukee Bucks last season:

If Graham were to come to The Land, he would likely project as bench depth for the Cavaliers. With both LeBron James and Jeff Green gone, the Cavaliers do not have much wing depth. Graham would plug-in nicely behind Cedi Osman at three or behind Rodney Hood (if he returns) at two. He could also serve as a sparkplug off the bench, ala Matthew Dellavedova or Anderson Varejao.

Graham would also be a project on a team that will begin a long and painful rebuild. Like when the team signed Billy Preston, Graham would be another low-risk-high-reward player. If things work out with Graham, great.

They now have reliable wing depth that can both defend and score. If not, no sweat off the Cavs’ back as they can move on to a different project player. With all the enticing intangibles, Cleveland would be remiss to not consider Graham.

After two seasons with Charlotte, the young forward projects as a low-risk-high-reward three-and-d wing with room to grow. He could earn time behind Osman or Hood, and grow with the young Cavaliers.

Next: Cleveland Cavaliers: Top 30 all-time greatest players

The sky’s the limit for the Cavaliers’ future, and Graham could fit in nicely with the team.

*All stats gathered from www.basketball-reference.com